Laguna town declares state of emergency over lambanog poisonings

Rizal town in Laguna was placed under a state of emergency following the deaths of 12 residents due to lambanog poisoning.

The declaration would allow the town government to use its emergency funds to aid the victims, Mayor Vener Muñoz explained in Mav Gonzales's Monday report on 24 Oras.

Muñoz was also paying close attention to his constituents who were rushed to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for treatment.

“Pare-pareho ‘yung pagkakalason,” the mayor told GMA News.

Local authorities have not yet spoken with the retailer of the lambanog from whom the victims purchased the liquor.

The PGH earlier confirmed that methanol poisoning had caused all the deaths, which was likely caused by the rushed or incorrect production of the lambanog. 

The number of cases had meanwhile exceeded the hospital emergency room's bed capacity of 50 persons, with 165 people having brought in since Sunday.

Nevertheless, the PGH reported that all of the victims rushed to the hospital were alive and in stable condition. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News